David Wilkerson is the author of The Cross and the Switchblade, one of the most popular books in evangelical history. (It's ranked #32 in Christianity Today's list of "Top 50 Books That Have Shaped Evangelicals.") On March 7, Wilkerson posted an "urgent message". It began:

AN EARTH-SHATTERING CALAMITY IS ABOUT TO HAPPEN. IT IS GOING TO BE SO FRIGHTENING, WE ARE ALL GOING TO TREMBLE — EVEN THE GODLIEST AMONG US. For ten years I have been warning about a thousand fires coming to New York City. It will engulf the whole megaplex, including areas of New Jersey and Connecticut. Major cities all across America will experience riots and blazing fires — such as we saw in Watts, Los Angeles, years ago.

There will be riots and fires in cities worldwide. There will be looting — including Times Square, New York City. What we are experiencing now is not a recession, not even a depression. We are under God's wrath.

Then at the end he wrote:

Note: I do not know when these things will come to pass, but I know it is not far off. I have unburdened my soul to you. Do with the message as you choose.

Wait just a minute! Why pick on major cities here? Why not some small towns instead? And doesn't this already describe certain streets in NYC anyway? Besides, why are preachers like him so interested in a doom and gloom message? Is it that they are secretly upset at Americans and want them to suffer and die? Is it to raise money? Is there some correlation with a rise in gifts when the message is one of doom and gloom?

But how can we hold Wilkerson's face to the floor on this prediction? Is it too vague to do so? The subtitle says that "An Earth-Shattering Calamity Is About To Happen." Earth shattering? I'm sure we would all recognize this if it happened, right? Is the time limit for the prediction too vague? Why is this an "urgent" message if the events are not to happen for another year? What does the word "urgent" in "urgent message" mean? And if it does not happen in Wilkerson's lifetime will the Christian community rise up as one and denouce him as a false prophet?

Ha, ha. I know the answers. This would be sad if it weren't so damn funny. As far as I know if we just laugh hard enough at him we may find Wilkerson and some members of his church secretly trying to start these fires and looting themselves just to get the ball rolling!